From Charlottesville, VA, Chris Long attended St. Anne’s-Belfield School where he played baseball, basketball, lacrosse, and football. During his senior year on the gridiron, he accumulated 91 tackles, 23 for a loss, and 15 sacks, leading his team to an undefeated season and state championship. Playing collegiately for the University of Virginia, Long would put together one of the most impressive careers in Cavaliers football history. A 2-time All-ACC selection (2nd Team-2006, 1st Team-2007), in 2007 Long would be named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year, unanimous 1st-Team All-American, while also winning the Dudley Award as the best football player in the Commonwealth, and the Ted Hendricks Award as the best defensive end in the nation. On November 24, 2007, Long’s number 91 jersey was retired by UVA football, making him the first person to have their jersey retired while still active. Following college, Long was selected #2 overall in the 2008 NFL Draft by the St. Louis Rams and would go on to play 11 seasons in the NFL with three teams (St. Louis, New England, Philadelphia) where he accumulated 332 tackles, 70 sacks, and 15 forced fumbles. In 2008, Long was named to the All-NFL Rookie Team, and in 2011, Long was voted Defensive Lineman of the Year by the NFL Alumni. In 2016 and 2017, Long won back-to-back Super Bowls, first as a member of the New England Patriots (LI), and then with the Philadelphia Eagles (LII). He announced his retirement from football following the 2018 season, and his impact has extended well beyond the playing field. In May of 2015, he launched the Chris Long Foundation, inspired by a 2013 climb of Mt. Kilimanjaro in Africa. His Foundation raises money for Waterboys, an initiative focused on clean water projects in areas facing the greatest challenges. To date, Waterboys has funded the construction of 130 deep borehole wells in East Africa. Internationally and domestically, Waterboys has brought lasting clean water to more than 550,000 people in need. Long also launched EdZone in 2020, which is an educational equity initiative dedicated to providing essential needs items like hygiene products and seasonal clothing to elementary school students in need. Through his contributions off the field, Long was chosen as the recipient of the 2018 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award and NFLPA Alan Page Community Award.
